Florida State College at Jacksonville is a member of the Florida College System and is not affiliated with any other public or private university or college in Florida or elsewhere. Florida State College is a division of Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Florida State College at Jacksonville is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the baccalaureate and associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida State College at Jacksonville. The Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.

The Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science Degree

Preparation for a Career

Career and technical education programs are designed to prepare students who, at the completion of a program of study listed in this section of the catalog, are planning to enter a chosen career at the semi–professional level. The Associate in Science (A.S.) degree program may also articulate into the bachelor’s degree in a related field of study at a state public university, based on specific program articulation agreements.

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees are available in some programs, and provide the same career preparation as Associate in Science degrees. Associate in Applied Science programs in general will not transfer to a four–year institution, but may articulate under special agreements between the College and the university system. General education requirements are different than for the A.S., and in some cases different technical and professional courses are required. For individuals wishing to spend less than two years in career preparation, technical certificate programs are also available in several areas.

The program manager or program chairperson with the approval of the dean of instruction may prescribe deficiency courses, which are necessary for successful completion of the Associate in Science degree. If students are veterans, a copy of the recommendation must be submitted to the Florida State College Veterans Affairs Office for certification completion.

The program manager or program chairperson with the approval of the dean of instruction may approve another elective or professional course not listed as an approved elective in the Associate in Science or Associate in Applied Science degree curriculum, which will apply toward Associate in Science or Associate in Applied Science degree completion. If students are veterans, it is necessary that such course substitution be submitted to the Veterans Affairs Office for certification completion. A record of the approval will be maintained in their file.

Program Location

Not all of the career and technical education A.S. or A.A.S. degree programs are available at each of the College’s campuses. However, the General Education Requirements and many of the elective, professional and other required courses are available at all campuses as well as at selected off–campus centers and sites.

In order to be awarded the associate in science or associate in applied science degree, students must have met the following requirements:

Earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (“C”) at Florida State College in courses eligible toward the associate in science or applied science degree programs (A.S. Florida State College GPA or A.A.S. Florida State College GPA).

Earned an all–college cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (“C”) on all courses attempted, including transferred credits. (All college cumulative.)

Completed at least 25 percent of credit semester hours required for the degree at Florida State College.

Completed a minimum of 60 semester hours, as specified by the degree, of which a minimum of 15 semester hours must be General Education requirements.

Students must have fulfilled all financial obligations to the College before they may graduate.

Note: Students are cautioned to pay particular attention to the following statements.

Graduation dates will be the date at the end of the college term in which the students complete the academic requirements for the degree or certificate for which students are applicants. (The removal of an incomplete grade does not affect students’ graduation dates, since the grade change is effective as of the end of the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned rather than the term in which the incomplete work was made up.)

If students expect to complete the coursework under the terms of the catalog in effect during the term of their first registration, they must graduate within five years or they will need to be reassigned to an active catalog. Accordingly, students who enter under this catalog (2011/2012) must graduate by the end of the Summer Term 2016, or they will automatically be reassigned to the 2015/2016 catalog requirements. Changes to requirements as mandated by law or by rule of the District Board of Trustees may supersede this provision.

The General Education Requirements may be taken on any Florida State College campus or center.

Many courses in this catalog have prerequisite and/or corequisite courses which are listed in the course descriptions. Students are advised to be guided by these requirements.

Students who place into college preparatory courses are required to complete designated college preparatory courses with a grade of “C” or better regardless of program of study.

Students enrolling in associate in applied science programs must pass all sections of the placement test before award of an A.A.S. degree, regardless of the degree program’s general education requirements.

Degree–seeking students whose native language is not English, who fall below a designated cutoff score on the English as a second language (ESL) entry placement test, will be required to take ESL courses with EAP prefix prior to registering for other college credit classes. The level of these courses will be determined by the entry placement scores. Individual exceptions will be determined by the ESL program manager.

Degree–seeking students identified as non–native speakers must take an English as a second language (ESL) placement test prior to taking the College’s standard course placement test. Students who place into ESL, as determined by the test, must complete ESL courses before registering for other college credit classes. Non–degree seeking college credit students who plan to take English or reading courses must also meet these requirements. Exceptions to these requirements can be made by the ESL program manager or designee.

University Transfer

Students who intend to transfer to a state university upper division upon receipt of the associate in applied science degree must satisfy certain additional requirements before being accepted for transfer. These requirements do not affect the award of the associate in applied science (A.A.S.) degree by Florida State College but do affect the ability of the senior institution to accept students with the A.A.S. degree.

Students with A.S. or A.A.S. degrees who plan to transfer to a state university should contact a counselor to determine any additional requirements necessary for transferring.

Co–operative Learning and/or Internship Opportunities Programs

All associate in science, associate in applied science and some certificate programs at Florida State College require a co–op/internship experience as part of the program of study.

Preparing students for the workplace is the goal of the associate in science and the associate in applied science degree programs at Florida State College. Not only must students complete degree and certificate programs having mastered occupational skills, but they must also have the interpersonal skills that allow them to contribute and be productive and successful in the workplace. The Co–op and Internship Opportunities Programs allow the student a chance to practice their occupational skills while earning credit towards their degree or certificate.

The internship, which provides the student with real experience in their chosen field of specialization, is an important component in all technical degree programs. Upon completion of these programs, the College is certifying that the student can perform certain job–related skills.

Such certification is not possible unless the student has performed in some type of work environment.

Objectives of the Co–op/Internship Program:

to gain practical work experience

to gain insight into the daily functioning of the workplace

to gain knowledge and understanding of interpersonal dynamics

to apply the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom

to exercise ethical responsibilities expected of company personnel

to personally evaluate these experiences

to expose the student to the processes involved in acquiring a position

The College does not guarantee employment. Selection of a particular student to fill a job is at the sole discretion of the employer and not within the control of the College. This means the College or any of its representatives cannot guarantee a paid or unpaid co–op/internship placement.